India fast bowler Arshdeep Singh has found himself at the centre of another controversy ahead of the IPL 2026 encounter between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians on Thursday. A video doing the rounds on social media captures Arshdeep making a remark at Tilak Varma, saying, “Oye Andhere, sunscreen lagaaya?”—a line that has been widely interpreted as a jab at Tilak’s complexion. The comment sparked immediate backlash online, with many fans condemning Arshdeep for what they believe was an attempt to mock Tilak’s “skin tone” and accusing him of racism.
Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan reacted strongly to the incident, calling for disciplinary action against Arshdeep. He urged the BCCI to ban the fast bowler from IPL 2026 and suggested that Arshdeep should also be made to lose earnings on a pro rata basis. In a post on X, Sivaramakrishnan wrote: “Nobody believed me. Everyone mocked and trolled me. Arshdeep should be banned this season and should be paid on a pro rata basis. The players today should be hit where it hurts the most. I am sure I would be trolled again.”
While the criticism continued to grow, Mumbai Indians responded in their own style through social media. The franchise shared a cheeky video featuring Tilak Varma holding awards, pairing it with a playful message. The clip begins with a darker visual, before a light is brought on to Tilak. Lyrics from a Bollywood song play in the background—“Andhera tera maine le liya, mera ujla sitaara tere naam kiya”—as the edit ties the theme of “darkness” and “light” to Tilak’s comeback narrative.
After the match, Tilak Varma addressed his mindset and reflected on how international experience helps him close out games. He said: “I always say that I love finishing games, but playing in the World Cup and playing quite a few international games for the country helps me (understand) how to finish games, and you get that experience and confidence. So with that, I think I keep improving my game.”
Tilak also explained why the chase didn’t play out as straightforward as expected. “To be honest, we weren’t expecting the wicket to be like this because the ball was (coming on) slightly slow and low, so it was not easy to hit strokes. We saw in the first half how Punjab struggled in the first 15 overs. After that, Azmatullah (Omarzai) and Vishnu (Vinod), the way they played, got them to a good total. But we were thinking that we will take the game as deep as possible,” he said.
Concluding his thoughts, Tilak described how he stayed composed while executing the basics. “And I was believing in myself that I could do it (finish the game). So I was just holding my shape and backing my basics. I was believing in myself that I’d finish the game,” he added.
